Damped transfer arrangement for a counter

ABSTRACT

Two successive ordinal toothed counter wheels are connected by toothed transfer means to make a tens-transfer once during each revolution of the counter wheel of the lower order. The teeth of the counter wheels and of the transfer means are cut out and hollowed so that the teeth are resilient and dampen impacts thereon during the transfer operation.

United States Patent [191 Kelch et al.

[ 1 DAMPED TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT FOR A COUNTER [75] Inventors: HeinzKelch, Buchenberg; Helmut Mueller, Sankt Georgen, both of Germany [73]Assignee: Kienzle Apparate GmbH,

Villingen/Schwarzwald, Germany 221 Filed: Mar.6,1973

21 Appl. No.: 338,551

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 9, 1972 Germany 2211392 [52]U.S. Cl. 235/133 R, 235/94 R, 235/95 R,

235/136, 235/144 R [51] Int. Cl G06c 7/10, G06c 9/00 [58]- Field ofSearch 235/94 R, 94 A, 133 R,

235/95 R, 95 A, 135, 50 A; 74/461, 460, 457

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 322,667 7/1885 Wilson, Sr.74/461 Sept. 17, 1974 2,572,334 10/1951 Guibert 74/461 2,928,288 3/1960Bliss et al..... 74/440 3,304,795 2/1967 Rouverol 74/461 3,337,1298/1967 Johnson 235/95 R 3,496,791 2/1970 Gabriel l. 74/461 3,618,85211/1971 Kes 235/94 R Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky AssistantExaminer-Vit W. Miska Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S. Striker [5 7]ABSTRACT Two successive ordinal toothed counter wheels are connected bytoothed transfer means to make a tenstransfer once during eachrevolution of the counter wheel of the lower order, The teeth of thecounter wheels and of the transfer means are cut out and hollowed sothat the teeth are resilient and dampen impacts thereon during thetransfer operation.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEI] SEF I7 I974 SHEET 1 (IF 2 FIGS.

DAMPED TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT FOR A COUNTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a damping arrangement effective duringthe transfer of intermittent movements of counter wheels in counters,particularly for the tenstransfer in rapidly rotating counters.

In gas stations, where gasoline is automatically metered, countersincluding a plurality of ordinal counter wheels are used, which areconnected with each other by tenstransfer means.

It is necessary that the counter wheels have large indicating wheelswhich require that the counter wheels have certain minimum size, andconsequently a certain minimum mass which cannot be further reducedwithout impairing the legibility of the indication. Particularly, withthe counter wheel of the lowest order, which is the driven input counterwheel and indicates the smallest units, difficulties occur because aminimum size and mass cannot be further reduced, while on the otherhand, for economic reasons, the greatest possible amount of flow ofliquid through the apparatus is to be registered. Particularly thenumber wheels of the lowest order, and during the tens-transfer also thenumber wheels of the higher orders, must be driven at very high rotaryspeeds, and must be able to withstand the high loads resultingtherefrom.

In known counters, the input counter roller is continuously rotated bymeans of a gear secured to the respective counter wheel. During atransfer operation by.

which a unit has to be transferred to the next higher order and ifnecessary also to further higher orders, a transfer lug, which isfixedly connected with the input counter wheel, strikes while rotatingat high speed, the toothed flanks of a tens-transfer gear which turnsabout an axis parallel to the axis of the counter wheels. Thetens-transfer gear also meshes with the gear of the counter wheel of thenext higher order and cooperates with a cam disc which locks thetransfer gear, but releases the transfer gear for angular movement whena unit is to be transferred.

Counters of this type have the great disadvantage v that the transferlug strikes the respective tooth of the transfer gear, which is at firstat a standstill, with a very hard impact. In the same moment,acceleration of a mass is required, which depends on the number ofcounter wheels to be shifted, and the accelerated masses must be rapidlydecelerated until the transfer gear is again in the normal position. Theoccurring force peaks must be sustained without damping, and even ifhigh quality material is used, disturbances and damage frequently occur,because the material cannot resist the high stresses. Furthermore, theload peaks of the impacts have also an effect on the drive means of thecounter, and may detrimentally influence the precision of the valuesmetered by the counter, and the exact transfer of such values to theindicator.

Another construction of the prior art provides a transfer means whichconsists of two coupling elements connected by a torsion spring. Toassure the complete transfer operation, additional connecting means arerequired, and the device consists of a great number of parts so thatmanufacture and maintenance is expensive. The resilient coupling elementhas no effect dur- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of theinvention to provide a resilient transmission of the intermittentmovements of counter wheels in counters, which overcomes thedisadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to dampen impacts of cooperatingteeth in the tens-transfer device of an ordinal counter.

In accordance with the invention, the teeth of the counter wheels, andof the tens-transfer device are formed with cutouts so that the teethare resilient and dampen impacts thereon. Preferably, also theperipheral rim of a transfer wheel is formed with a cutout and renderedresilient for damping the impact of a tooth of a tens-transfer gear.

In order to make resilient the zones where the peak forces prevail, andto transform impact energy into the deformation of an elastic zone, inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, the teeth have cutoutsequidistant to the tooth flanks so that resilient flank walls are formedbetween the addendum circle and the dedendum circle of the tooth. Forthe same reason, the resilient flank walls axially project from asupporting disc, and may be located on one side or on both sides of thedisc. In order to render the damping particularly effective, allforcetransmitting elements of the apparatus are formed with cutouts andmade resilient.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary explodedperspective view schematically illustrating two successive ordinalcounter wheels, and tens-transfer means therebetween;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a transfer gear according to theinvention;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view illustrating a transfer gear with asupporting disc, and axially projecting transfer teeth on one side;

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view illustrating a modified transfer gearhaving a disc and transfer teeth projecting in opposite axial directionsfrom the disc;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view on an enlarged scale, illustrating apreferred embodiment of a transfer wheel with transfer lugs or teeth forshifting the transfer gear; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view illustrating a counter wheel providedwith counter teeth according to several modifications of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The portion of a counter shownin FIG. 1 includes counter wheels 1 and 2 correlated with successivedecimal orders, and being mounted for free rotation on a shaft 3supported by lateral walls, not shown. It is assumed that counter wheel1 is the counter wheel of the surfacel5.

1; or lu distances I between counter teeth SL" 1 L counter:eethofthejsecond cou nter 'wheel 2. Tr'ansfejf gear2l"has*alternatingteeth Z3-a'nd 24, theftee t hj23directionthan'the-teeth24. &

Yates-,withthe I ';turni ng ofthe'firstcounter wheel 1 f; the"respective long I As shown in FIG. 1, the cutouts in the counter teeth 9of the circularrow 5 are'shaped sot'hat the inner surfaces of the flankwalls 7 are equidistant from the flanks 6, andthe flank walls have aconstant thick ness.

An upper cylindrical surface is carried by discf4, and" As noted above,-the transfer teeth '20 vn'd are coh structed in the same mannerto beresilient. The curved cutouts 14 form resilient portions which'arepartof the peripheral rim l9, and are engagedby the ne xtfo is providedwith ten indicia, for example the digitsnO to The. counter wheels ofhigher orders are stepwise shifted, only counter wheel 2 jof the seconddecimal order being shown, and during one full revolution'of a counterwheel, the countertwheel' of 'the 'next higher,- order is turned oneangular step corresponding to the angular distance between two indiciaon the cylindrical The tens-transfer b zi bn' riiin ongfiteeth zliranjsfer gear 2 lextend 'al'ging--the eriph'eral r-ifnii' 1-9 and, therespectivetransfertooth 20 per pherahritn"19, sliding thereon duringooth? 2 3"prevents a turning movement of the transfer V i geai-"121,and;ofthe counter wheel2'duringjthe turning ofJc'o'un ter wheel 1forthej-first' nine angular steps.

lar step and completes one revolution, the .first transfer operation, itis -'necessary to rapidly decelerate all masses acceleratedby the impacton the short tooth 24, including the transfer gear 2 l, the counterwheel 2, and

. isaccornplished by a transfer de- 'vicewhichl includes a transferwheel 17 which has a'circular ,ldiSCfjl connected by ,pins '16 with thefirst counter wheel 1" for rotation. As also shown in'ElG .i'5-, [thedisc 18 carries two axially projecting transfer" teeth 32 0 and 20 whichhave the above-described I tsi-lOfito form flank walls 7 of uniformthickness I fand elasticit'y. The disc 18 of the transferwheel 17 has acircular peripheral rim 19 under which partcircular cutouts-J14 and 14are :provided adjacent the transfer -teeth' 2'0 and 20 so that resilientpart cireular bar-""- shaped portions 26 a'r'e formed*on .whichparts .Ofthe. peripheral }.rim'- l9 are-located. The circumferential length ofth'ecutouts l4imayfcorrlespond to two'angul'ar 34o,

' i The traiisfergear2lfconnectssthe first counter wheelx,

I 25. 'w I the, disc 25 and ave one end s'ec ure'd to the disc 25, "as

v.7 of uniform selected thickneSsIwhIleI theroot; which usually connectsthe fla n'kgo, may .b'e-zorni tte rim portionsl'26; are required.

to the .next counting position.

.curved flankwallsf] or-7 to improve the following counter wheelsandtens-t'ransfer devices of higher orders, not shown, if they 'are inthe required an-;

gular position. For decelerating the masses, the next following longtooth 23 engages the peripheralrim 19 of the disc 18, and blocksfurthermovement of the" order. For damping this hard impact, andthl the impacton therespective parts, the tr 23, 24 of the transfer gear 2l freelyprojec rection from disc 25, and are cut o'ufto quired'if the counterwheels rotate only in u one'idirecv tion of rotation, but when alsonegative operations are i required, twotransfer'teeth 20 and 20 anftWQ'elastic I tWh e'nthe first-counter wheel 1 iscontinuously driven Iasinput'coun'tei" wheel by gears, no't'shownl-meshing withfthe'circularrowS of teeth 9, the ,trl ansfe'irl gearg l H .fis shifted bythe respective transfer tooth 2 0 or-2l)- ',-"Qt, v and'shifts thesecond counterwhe'elf2 one angular step zf x 7 proje'ct in axialdirection from in 3."; root portion 8' may be omitted me modificationshownin-FlGfld, the disc 2'5" is FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 1 show constructionsof fthetrans j 1 f gear2lg The teeth 23,24 arel'composed of tworesilientY I ..wh'ichresiliently yieldiwhenf the flanks arefiengaigedibut alsoyield resiliently in ,cirfctioninrelation'tothesupporting discastilcityiin circumferential direction.

arranged'at-theendof the' s'hort tooth 2 4, and the long: teeth 23project 'in opposite axial directions'ffrom the disc 25". Assh'owninElGf. 23in the region A,the, disc 1 2 5 ,wl iich isnormallygeacshapedand has peripheral v fradial projections ij's cut outatllsothat the radial protoff-th f trahSferIwhel 17. secure'ditdth'e:first'fcounter. 3 h' fl the i c a 'th Sa configuration s wheelthesame time, the respective longit'ooth 23"rnesheswithjthecouhte'nteethof the Circular'rowS' of sociated-with thenext higher deci' he fact'that a long tooth 23 cooper-'--the'respectivetoothiiandso that' 'the fl'ank walls of each toothareQconnectedwith'fthe disc 25 by parts having th'e'.' ame}width.asffthie'j flank "walls 7. i Further modifications of theteethiaccording to the I presentinventionare shown in FIG. 6. A tooth 27is shown, which has a narrow cutout" 11 so that only one Wlien the firstcounter wheel 1 'turnsthe tenth angu narrowflank wall is formed. A toothshaped as tooth 27 is very strong and suitable for impact damping trans-A transfer gear 21 and a transfer wheel 17, as described above, are alsoused between the counter wheels of the higher orders. All transferwheels 21 can be mounted for rotation on a shaft 22 parallel to countershaft 3. When simultaneous tens-transfer between several pairs ofcounter wheels take place, the tens-transfer means according to theinvention dampen the peak forces occurring during simultaneoustenstransfer in several orders since the energy is used for deformingthe elastic parts.

By carefully selecting the dimensions for the teeth according to theinvention, together with the use of a suitable elastic material, thedisadvantages of known counter damping apparatus are overcome.Particularly, the present invention has the result to dampensimultaneously occurring tens-transfers by constructing all parts whichengage each other of an elastic material.

Breakage is avoided, the transfer is quiet, and wear is reduced so thatthe life span of an arrangement according to the present invention isincreased as compared with the prior art. No forces are transmitted tothe metering device for a liquid from which the counter is driven.

The apparatus of the invention has substantially the same spacerequirements as known counter arrangements, and can be used withconventional metering apparatus.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofdamping transfer arrangements for counters differing from the typedescribed above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in adamped tens-transfer arrangement including hollow resilient teeth fordamping impacts during a tens transfer, it is not intended to be limitedto the details shown, since various modifications and structural changesmay be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the presentinvention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. Damped transfer arrangement for a counter comprising atleast first and second ordinal counter wheels having first and secondcounter teeth, respectively; a

transfer wheel secured to said first counter wheel and including aperipheral rim having a first transfer tooth; and a transfer gear havingsecond transfer teeth meshing with said second counter teeth and havinga locked position in which one second transfer tooth slides on saidperipheral rim for locking said transfer gear and said second counterwheel, another second transfer tooth being engaged with an impact bysaid first transfer tooth once during each revolution of said firstcounter wheel so that said transfer gear is angularly displaced forturning said second counter wheel, at least some of said teeth beingformed with a cutout between the flanks thereof so that said flanks areresilient and dampen the impact, and said transfer wheel being formedwith a curved cutout under said peripheral rim adjacent said firsttransfer tooth so that said peripheral rim is likewise resilient anddampens the impact of said one transfer tooth thereon.

2. Transfer arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said secondtransfer teeth are formed with cutouts and are resilient.

3. Damped transfer arrangement for a counter comprising at least firstand second counter wheels having first and second counter teeth,respectively; a transfer wheel secured to said first counter wheel andincluding a disc having a peripheral rim and a first transfer toothaxially projecting from said disc and being formed with a cutout,.saiddisc being formed with a curved cutout under said peripheral rim so thatsaid rim and said first transfer tooth are resilient; and a transfergear including a disc having second transfer teeth axially projectingtherefrom and being formed with cutouts so that said second transferteeth are likewise resilient, said second transfer teeth meshing withsaid second counter teeth and having a locked position in which onesecond transfer tooth slides on said peripheral rim for locking saidtransfer gear and second counter wheel, another second transfer toothbeing engaged with an impact by said first transfer tooth once duringeach revolution of said first counter wheel so that the transfer gear isan-- gularly displaced for turning said second counter wheel, wherebythe impact of said one second transfer tooth on the peripheral rim andof said first transfer tooth on said second transfer tooth is dampenedby said resilient peripheral rim and said resilient second transferteeth.

4. Transfer arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said curvedcutout is part circular and extends circumferentially over an anglecorresponding to at least two spaces between two counter teeth so that aresilient part-circular bar portion is formed along said peripheral rim.

1. Damped transfer arrangement for a counter comprising at least firstand second ordinal counter wheels having first and second counter teeth,respectively; a transfer wheel secured to said first counter wheel andincluding a peripheral rim having a first transfer tooth; and a transfergear having second transfer teeth meshing with said second counter teethand having a locked position in which one second transfer tooth slideson said peripheral rim for locking said transfer gear and said secondcounter wheel, another second transfer tooth being engaged with animpact by said first transfer tooth once during each revolution of saidfirst counter wheel so that said transfer gear is angularly displacedfor turning said second counter wheel, at least some of said teeth beingformed with a cutout between the flanks thereof so that said flanks areresilient and dampen the impact, and said transfer wheel being formedwith a curved cutout under said peripheral rim adjacent said firsttransfer tooth so that said peripheral rim is likewise resilient anddampens the impact of said one transfer tooth thereon.
 2. Transferarrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second transfer teethare formed with cutouts and are resilient.
 3. Damped transferarrangement for a counter comprising at least first and second counterwheels having first and second counter teeth, respectively; a transferwheel secured to said first counter wheel and including a disc having aperipheral rim and a first transfer tooth axially projecting from saiddisc and being formed with a cutout, said disc being formed with acurved cutout under said peripheral rim so that said rim and said firsttransfer tooth are resilient; and a transfer gear including a dischaving second transfer teeth axially projecting therefrom and beingformed with cutouts so that said second transfer teeth are likewiseresilient, said second transfer teeth meshing with said second counterteeth and having a locked position in which one second transfer toothslides on said peripheral rim for locking said transfer gear and secondcounter wheel, another second transfer tooth being engaged with animpact by said first transfer tooth once during each revolution of saidfirst counter wheel so that the transfer gear is angularly displaced forturning said second counter wheel, whereby the impact of said one secondtransfer tooth on the peripheral rim and of said first transfer tooth onsaid second transfer tooth is dampened by said resilient peripheral rimand said resilient second transfer teeth.
 4. Transfer arrangement asclaimed in claim 3, wherein said curved cutout is part circular andextends circumferentially over an angle corresponding to at least twospaces between two counter teeth so that a resilient part-circular barportion is formed along said peripheral rim.